CALEB ATKINS

I recently learned two very interesting facts about Ringgold, Georgia. One, the hymn “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms” was performed for the first time ever at the Old Stone Church in Ringgold, and two, it is the hometown of UT College of Law 2L, Caleb Atkins. Caleb left Ringgold several years ago and moved north to Johnson City, Tennessee, where he attended East Tennessee State University. While at ETSU, Caleb distinguished himself by serving as both the Chief of Staff and the Secretary of State of the Student Government Association.

His academic prowess, which resulted in scholarships and eight straight semesters on the Dean’s List, served him well in his role as an academic tutor, and his leadership abilities led to his promotion to Manager of the ETSU Campus Recreation facility as a senior, after spending two years working for the facility. In addition, Caleb served as President of Reformed University Fellowship, served as a teaching assistant and orientation leader, and spent a year interning with the Sullivan County Public Defenders Office. ETSU was no doubt sorry to see Caleb go when he graduated magna cum laude in 2022 with a Bachelor’s of Business Administration from the Honors College in Economics, with a concentration in Financial Economics and a minor in Finance.

A number of factors contributed to Caleb’s decision to attend law school, but his internship with the Public Defenders Office sealed the deal for him. During his time there, he was able “to see the kind of good the attorneys and judges can do for people every day,” which inspired him to “not just pursue law school, but to passionately pursue justice for disenfranchised communities.” He chose to attend UT Law for several reasons: his love of East Tennessee and the Vols, his desire to live in Tennessee long-term, and his belief that UT Law “has a reputation for producing high-quality attorneys.”

Once he started at UT Law, Caleb wasted no time getting involved. He serves as an Acquisitions Editor on the Tennessee Journal of Race, Gender, and Social Justice and a staff editor on the Tennessee Journal of Leadership, Law, and Policy. He’s a member of the National Trial Team and a Legal Process Fellow. He’s one of the founders of the UT Law Public Interest Coalition, and he will be serving as Treasurer. And he was elected to be the American Bar Association Representative for the 202324 school year.

As the ABA Representative, Caleb recently attended the ABA Annual Convention in Denver, where he was able to interact with other ABA reps and Student Bar Association presidents from law schools across the country. As amazing as that was, the opportunity to network with attorneys and judges from all over the United States was “incredible,” and Caleb reports that every attorney he met went out of their way to connect with him and the other student attendees. Caleb likened the experience to the KBA events he has attended and “is a big reason why [he] would encourage law students to show up to as many bar association events as they possibly can!”

This past summer, Caleb served as a law clerk for the Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands, where he had the privilege of working with everything from the Low Income Tax Clinic to helping victims of domestic violence obtain Orders of Protection. These experiences solidified Caleb’s passion for pursuing a career in public interest law.

When asked to describe his dream job, he says that “it’s hard to say” because his dream is “to use the skills [he’s] gaining in law school to serve [his] community to the best of [his] abilities.” Caleb continues:

I know I would love to be in public service on the civil side of things, but I could see that being at any number of places right now. I have a passion for public service because I’ve witnessed so much pain and suffering in the world, and I feel called to do what I can to be a small part of alleviating some of that to whatever degree I am able.

With what little spare time Caleb has, he enjoys spending time with his friends and family and decompressing with television comedies. At the moment, he’s rewatching “Parenthood,” which is a great escape from the rigors of law school.

When asked what he would want future employers to know about him, Caleb responded that he is an “incredibly hard worker” and that he does his best “to approach every day with a positive mindset and sense of gratitude.” Given Caleb’s positivity, mindset, and work history, it should come as no surprise that Caleb’s ultimate “why” for wanting to be an attorney is his desire “to help advocate for people who society tends to neglect.” East Tennessee is indeed fortunate that Caleb will be joining the bar in two years, because he will undoubtedly improve both our legal profession and the lives of his future clients.

Recently, an employer asked our office why students included Knoxville Bar Association membership on their resume. If you see this designation on a student’s resume, they are not just using it as a spacefiller. They are showing you their interest in Knoxville and their intent to remain here after graduation. It’s true that membership is free for law students, but every student is not automatically “enrolled” in the KBA; they must choose to join and take the necessary steps to sign up. In addition to telegraphing their intent to stay in Knoxville, they are also demonstrating an interest in service to the Bar, which will serve both the student and their future employer very well.

By: Courtney Read Watson Roach Batson & Lauderback, PLC